Khalilzad Warns of Iranian Interference in Iraq

Former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, has said that Iraqi Shi’ite officials have complained of Iran’s interference in their country’s affairs, saying the militias backed by Tehran might turn against each other in the future over a dispute on oil.

In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, he added:

“[Iraqis] don’t want to be dependent on Iran and humiliated by it … They want to be independent.

“Some of them have expressed concern over the role that Iranian-backed militias play in Iraq … although they believe that they need the militias in their continuous fight with ISIS.

“They fear that such militias backed by Iran could be a source of instability for Shi’ites.”